Our Love is Forbidden
by Birchwhisker
Summary: One-Shot. RiverClan's medicine cat, Brightshadow, is unsure who to be loyal to. Edward, an exiled cat of RiverClan who she likes, or her clan. Written for a contest on The Kittypet Life. Review or message if you want the site link.


The only thing that went through his mind was him. _Him._ This would make it seem like she was obsessed, but Brightshadow could only think of him, as if her whole world revolved around him.

Brightshadow had no idea how she was supposed to go about her day without thinking about him. She knew it would never be able to work out. She was a proud, loyal (well, mostly loyal, at this point) RiverClan medicine cat, and he… well, he was a rouge. Brightshadow also knew that her clan would have a fit if she went to go see him.

His name was Edward. He had first begun here in RiverClan as Foxkit, but was exiled when he became a warrior, after he plotted against the RiverClan leader. Brightshadow always knew that he was power-hungry, and pretty much willing to do whatever he could to achieve power. After he was exiled, he changed his name to Edward. Brightshadow honestly had no idea how he came up with the name of Edward, but he did it.

Brightshadow was in her den. She was preparing to go over to the elder's den to clear them of their ticks. She ripped some moss out of a little cave she had dug out in the side of her den. Brightshadow had made the little caves so that way, kits wouldn't crash into them when they chased after frogs in her den.

And then, Brightshadow exited the den. The sun shone on her long-haired tortoiseshell pelt, causing her to feel a touch warmer. The moss had already been dipped in the mouse bile, making Brightshadow's nose recoil at the smell. She padded into the elder's den, where Owlfang and Tawnyclaw lay.

"It's time to clear you guys of those ticks." Brightshadow meowed. The elder's nodded, sitting up, and Brightshadow began to work.

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_In the medicine cat den…_

Brightshadow soon had enough. She knew, and knew very well, that she _had_ to see Edward. She also knew her fate if she was discovered seeing him. Her leader, Blazingstar, would definitely have her exiled for seeing a cat that betrayed him.

The she-cat exited the camp, going towards the direction of the fourtrees. Brightshadow didn't know where Edward would be, but she knew that he had to be around somewhere…

A blur of fur came from the bushes on Brightshadow's right. With a grunt, the she-cat landed on her side in the dirt. The sick scent of crowfood entered her senses. Brightshadow relaxed, waiting to overthrow her attacker. She looked towards the face of the cat.

"Edward!" she cried out. The grey tom had his face close to hers.

"Oh, it's only you." He snorted, sounding disgusted. Brightshadow growled at him, pushing him off of her. Edward flew off of her, but landed on his face a fox-length away. He grinned. "So, how's little Brightshadow doing?" The two cats had been friends back when Edward was in RiverClan, and were about the same age.

"Edward, I really have to talk to you." Brightshadow managed to say. She watched as Edward looked at her suspiciously.

"About?" he asked, Edward's eyes narrowed slightly.

"About you… and I." Brightshadow meowed quietly, in case some cat was nearby. Edward shrugged.

"Alright then." He meowed. _'He's obviously not catching my drift.'_ Brightshadow thought. The two went behind the bushes, and Brightshadow began to whisper.

"I'd really like to see you more often, Edward. I've really been missing you, and I know why, but I'm not sure if I should speak of that, yet." Edward's eyes soon narrowed.

"First off, Brightshadow, it's only been three moons since I've been gone. And besides, if you were caught seeing me, then you'd be exiled like me, out here too. You do not know how lonely it gets living out by yourself."

"If you get lonely, more reason to come see me here, anyways." Brightshadow meowed. _'Please… Please agree to keep seeing me.'_ She pleaded in her head. Brightshadow watched Edward look to his paws, and back up at her.

"Fine." He meowed. Brightshadow heard voices coming in their direction. She gasped quietly, and looked at Edward with urgency burning in her eyes.

"Go! You must hurry!" Brightshadow meowed.

"Tonight, once the whole clan is asleep. Here." Edward whispered to her. And with that, he took off, towards WindClan territory.

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_Late that night…_

Brightshadow couldn't believe that she was about to meet Edward. She slowly and quietly climbed out of her den. She paused, listening for her clan's snoring. Being satisfied with the sounds she was hearing, Brightshadow proceeded out of the camp. Luckily for her, no cat was on guard tonight. She crept out, and sneakily went towards where she and Edward were supposed to meet.

"Edward?" Brightshadow whispered. She was greeted by the gray tom with a poke to her cheek.

"Hello, Brightshadow." He meowed. "Good to see you." Edward meowed. _'Good way to start.'_ Brightshadow thought.

"Same for you." She whispered. There was a small pause, and soon she started to talk. "You know, Edward, I don't want to seem like I'm rushing anything - !"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Edward stopped Brightshadow, while she was in mid-sentence. _'Oh no.'_ She thought, now worrying herself. "I never knew we were rushing, or in something." He meowed. "Brightshadow, if we were ever to love each other, you know for a fact that you'd end up exiled if anyone found out."

"And I'm willing." Brightshadow meowed. "I missed you, because I realized before you left that… I actually loved you." She looked down to her paws, sighing slightly. "I didn't care how power-hungry you were, or are, I just loved you all the same." Brightshadow sat herself down. Edward sat down as well, and sighed slightly.

"Brightshadow…" he meowed quietly.

"What?"

"I don't want you wasting your clan life for me."

"Why not?"

"We just discussed this. I don't want you getting exiled."

"I'm willing too. I'd give up my medicine life for you."

That made Edward silent. He knew how much she loved the ways of medicine, caring for the clan. After a moment, he spoke.

"I still don't know, Brightshadow. I'll need some time to think about it."

Brightshadow was slightly disappointed, but that didn't stop her. She and Edward lay there all night, talking.

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_In the morning…_

"Brightshadow, wake up!" She then opened her eyes, seeing Edward's face in hers. Her blue eyes and his topaz eyes met, and the two were quiet for a minute or two. "It's morning. You better be getting back. Here, same time tonight." He stood up, and left the cover of the bush.

"I love you." Brightshadow meowed to herself when he was a small shape in the hills of WindClan. The she-cat began grooming herself, taking the loner scent off her. Brightshadow walked in the direction of the camp.

She was greeted at the camp entrance by Owlfang. Owlfang looked worried, but she spoke in a quiet voice.

"I don't want you getting into any kind of trouble." She whispered. Brightshadow's eyes widened.

"What? I don't know what you're talking about." Brightshadow lied.

"I know what you've been doing, Brightshadow. The faint smell on your fur tells me I was right." Brightshadow felt a hanging feeling of guilt. "But, I want you to know, I'm keeping quiet about it. But, I want you to promise me, not to go run off with him, no matter what happens." Brightshadow nodded. "Good." The elder meowed. "Now, my belly is bothering me, can you help me?"

"Of course, Owlfang." Brightshadow had thoughts running through her mind. _'How did Owlfang, of ALL cats, know that I was seeing Edward?'_ She led Owlfang to her den. Taking some chervil roots, she gave it to Owlfang.

"Chew this up, alright?" Brightshadow told her. Owlfang nodded, and began to chew. "Chew it really good." She added. Yet, Brightshadow knew that no matter what Owlfang said, Brightshadow had to keep on seeing Edward.

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_That night…_

Brightshadow was too excited to see Edward. She sneaked out of her den, and out into the middle of the camp. However, a warrior was keeping guard. Brightshadow hissed silently. _'The dirtplace tunnel!' _ She thought. Brightshadow quickly swept herself into the tunnel, and soon exited the camp that way.

It was dark and quiet in the territory. She raced off towards her and Edward's meeting place. Once back at the bush, Brightshadow waited. Soon, his muscular gray shape came into Brightshadow's sight. She smiled.

"So, did you think about it?" Brightshadow asked him. Edward thought, and gave her a small smile.

"I discovered that I love you too." Edward meowed. "I spent quite a long time thinking about you last night, and realized how I felt… ever since we were kits…" Brightshadow's happiness was uncontrollable.

"Oh, Edward!" she cried out. She leapt towards him, knocking him out of their hiding spot. She smiled, it reaching each of her ears. Brightshadow covered him in licks. Edward laughed. His voice had deepened quite a bit.

"Hi, Brightshadow." He meowed. Brightshadow came off of him, and pulled him back into the bush.

"Edward, again, I don't want to sound like I'm rushing things, but… I really want to be a mother." Edward's eyes widened. Brightshadow had never seen them that wide.

"You don't mean… no, Brightshadow, no!" Edward meowed. "I know you have your wishes, but that means that you'll be for sure exiled!" he cried out. "I really don't want that to happen to you! You don't know what it's like out here…"

"Edward, think of it this way. Say you get an infection – if no one knows how to use medicine, or if no one will help you, what will you do then?" Brightshadow meowed, sitting in front of him. "If I'm there, I'll be able to help. The only thing I'm worried about with my clan is the fact I don't have an apprentice." Edward nodded.

"If anything, you have to get an apprentice as soon as possible."

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_The next day…_

Brightshadow was already at work with her newly appointed apprentice. She asked for one that morning, and got one. The young cat was named Honeypaw. Brightshadow was teaching her about the herbs and their uses. However, the she-cat was wondering why her mentor was so rushed to teach her everything there was to know about being a medicine cat.

Brightshadow looked over at her stock, with a smirk on her face. She purposely wrecked some of her petals of marigold, sneakily. The she-cat gasped, even though she knew she had wreaked the petals herself.

"Oh no!" Brightshadow cried out. "The marigold petals are all destroyed! I'll go out to get some more."

"I'll get som-!"

"No, Honeypaw, it's okay. Just study in your head about what I just talked about. I'll be back in a bit."

Brightshadow eagerly stepped out of the den, and went through the camp entrance. _'I can't wait until tonight to see him. I have to find him, now.' _ She ran in the territory, going to the edge of it. She crossed the thick river, now along the edge of WindClan territory. She stepped a slight bit out to her left, outside of the cat's territory.

After a distance of both running and walking, Brightshadow made it to Barley and Ravenpaw's barn. But then, fear struck Brightshadow. _'The clan will be wondering where I am!'_ However, it was too late to turn back now. She raced closer towards the Moonstones.

"Brightshadow?! What are you doing out here?!" Edward's voice made the tortoiseshell she-cat to jump. She ran towards him.

"I can hardly go a day without seeing you, Edward!" She cried. "Please, just let me leave with you, now!" However, the large gray tom shook his head.

"No, Brightshadow. I told you that you need to get an apprentice."

"I do!"

"Well, he or she hasn't been trained long enough."

Brightshadow sighed. "I guess you're right." Edward flicked his tail.

"Come on. We better get you back to your territory." Edward meowed. With a sweeping motion, he gently guided Brightshadow back to the territory.

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_The next day…_

Edward and Brightshadow decided not to meet that night, after they saw each other during the day. Brightshadow lay in her den, her eyes closed. The she-cat was rather tired from her long walk, yesterday. Honeypaw was beside her.

"What took you so long, yesterday?"

"I got sidetracked."

Brightshadow knew that she was lying to her own apprentice, but she had to keep her cover, she had to have her secret remain a secret. Her eyes were still closed.

"Can you teach me a bit more?"

She groaned, struggling to open her eyes. "Okay then, we'll talk about poppy seeds." The two she-cats talked about herbs and poppy seeds until nightfall. Brightshadow was hoping to do exactly that.

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_Back out in the territory, at night…_

She moved as fast as her paws could take her. Brightshadow knew that Owlfang watched her leave the camp again last night, but as far as Brightshadow was concerned, she didn't care anymore. Her mind was still racing with thoughts of Edward. _'I just can't get enough…'_ Brightshadow soon entered the bush, and the gray tom was already there, waiting for it. But before Brightshadow had a chance to speak, Edward started.

"If you want kits so bad, I guess I can give you some." Brightshadow still had that bright smile on her face.

"Oh StarClan, thank you, Edward!" Brightshadow flung herself at the tom, purring uncontrollably. Edward laughed, but soon became serious.

"However, I want you to stay in RiverClan until they're born." Edward meowed. Brightshadow nodded. _'I'm not even completely sure what he said… I wasn't exactly listening.'_ She thought, still on top of the gray tom.

"Oh, right!" The long-haired she-cat got off the tom, and only waited…

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_Two moons later…_

Brightshadow continued training her apprentice. However, she planned on teaching her apprentice about kit birth while she had her's. Honeypaw soon learned pretty much everything she needed to know.

That day, Brightshadow realized that she'd have her kits. The good thing about being long-haired was when you got fat; it is hard to tell. The sun was down, and soon it would go back up. Honeypaw had stayed up with Brightshadow, and she looked at her.

"Brightshadow, I think I'm going to go to my nest now."

"No, Honeypaw. Come with me."

Brightshadow then led the apprentice out to the territory, where she meets Edward. She sat down, and waited for Edward to appear. Honeypaw's eyes widened at the sight of Edward – she was about three moons old when he was exiled, yet she still remembered him.

"Honeypaw, you remember Edward. The reason why I have been so tired was because I've been out meeting him." She watched her apprentice's jaw drop. "I needed an apprentice, because…" Brightshadow sighed. "Because I am having his kits. I decided to hold back your kit birthing training, so you'd be able to do it with me." Brightshadow lay on her side, and as if it was planned, she felt the kits coming.

"All you have to do is this…"

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_A short period of time later…_

"You did amazing, Honeypaw." Brightshadow complimented. At her side were three beautiful kits – two dark gray toms, looking just like Edward, and one shorthair tortoiseshell. Honeypaw looked dazed.

"You know you have to go back, right? Blazingstar will flip." Brightshadow sighed, looking at her paws.

"I'm not going back, Honeypaw. I'm running away with Edward." Brightshadow meowed. Honeypaw's eyes widened, snapping back to reality.

"No, you can't!" Honeypaw cried out. "I'm not smart enough yet!" Brightshadow looked at her, hoping she could soothe her with her expression some how.

"You will do fine, Honeypaw." Brightshadow meowed. "Don't worry." After the kits fed for a bit, Brightshadow stood up. She was exhausted, but she knew she had to leave the territory. "Tell the clan that I'm sorry, but I want to be with Edward."

And with that, Edward, Brightshadow, and their three kits, Fox, Talon, and Honey, walked off into the sunrise, leaving Honeypaw alone in the bush. The things cats will do for love.


End file.
